Households with garden bores are being reminded to make sure their bores are turned off for winter, or risk fines if they are not.
The reminder comes after a higher than usual number of garden bore users have been reported running since the ban came into place on 1 June 2017.
Department of Water A/Director Jade Gorton said the winter sprinkler ban applies to both domestic garden bores and scheme water users in areas of Perth, Peel and parts of the South West and Great Southern.
“Higher numbers of garden bores reported still running during June indicate that some people may have forgotten to turn them off for the winter,” Ms Gorton said.
“The ban has been running as a permanent water efficiency measure since 2010 and the dates of 1 June to 31 August remain the same.”
Breaching the ban can result in a $100 fine if witnessed by a Water Corporation Water Efficiency Inspector, or a written warning if reported by a member of the public.
Ms Gorton said there was plenty of information on the Department of Water’s website or from Water Corporation on how to comply with the ban.
“This water source is available for gardens when it’s needed over the hotter months, and conserving it is essential to its sustainability as a free water source,” she said.
“Water for domestic garden bores comes from the shallow aquifers that are feeling the impacts of the lower rainfall and climate change, and if we don’t use them responsibly we are putting this source of water at risk.
“Efficiency measures like the permanent roster of three days a week for bores and two days a week for scheme, and the winter ban, have been designed to make sure the water is there for when we need it, and it’s in everyone interests to comply.
“The only watering that should be taking place in the ban areas over winter is on new lawns and gardens that have applied for and received an exemption, or hand watering.”
Maintenance of garden bores is also important and users can run reticulation for maintenance purposes to the minimum extent necessary over the three months and with a recommendation of two minutes per station only when maintenance is being conducted.
For more information go to www.water.wa.gov.au